Beyond the VAR Model: How Technology Brokers Are Redefining IT Procurement

In the ever-evolving world of IT procurement, two distinct models stand in contrast: the Value-Added Reseller (VAR) and the Technology Broker. While both serve as conduits between technology producers and business consumers, their approaches and underlying philosophies diverge significantly.

VARs are traditionally product-centric, their allegiance often tied to a select group of providers whose interests they are inclined to represent. They build their expertise around these solutions, serving up data sheets and product specs as the extent of their market research. This model is inherently transactional, with compensation structures commonly linked to the volume of product sold, influencing their incentive to prioritize sales over solutions.

Technology Brokers, on the other hand, embody a solution-centric ethos. They navigate an ocean of providers, well-versed in a vast array of technology stacks. Their consultative practices are vendor-agnostic, committed to neutrality, ensuring recommendations are tailored to the client's precise needs. Their value lies not in transactions, but in strategic partnerships and the pursuit of the client's desired business outcomes.

The brokerage model is built on a foundation of well-defined business requirements, which they actively help to develop. Their strategic engagement often includes presenting competing providers to secure optimal results for the end user. With access to true market research, trends, and industry insights, Technology Brokers empower IT leaders to make well-informed, strategic decisions.

As the demand for customized, outcome-driven solutions grows, the Technology Broker emerges as the preferred navigator for organizations charting their digital futures.

This paradigm shift is embodied by MR2 Solutions' Technology Brokerage-as-a-Service (TBaaS). MR2 Solutions isn't just aligning itself with the future; it is actively shaping it by providing IT leaders with an effective framework for technology evaluation and the careful selection of providers. With TBaaS, MR2 Solutions ensures organizations not only meet but exceed their technology aspirations, confirming the undeniable value of a brokerage over a traditional VAR model.

As the landscape continues to shift towards a more nuanced, outcome-oriented environment, the role of Technology Brokers is poised to become ever more critical. MR2 Solutions stands at the vanguard of this movement, offering TBaaS practices that redefine the art of technology evaluation and selection, ensuring that organizations are not just equipped for the present but are ready to lead into the future.

Ron Salazar CEO - MR2 Solutions